How Fast Is The Yamaha Viking And What Kind Of Engine Is It Powered By?

When you think of side-by-side vehicles, one of the first factors that probably comes to mind is how well it handles rough terrain like wooded hills or wide ranch plains. Perhaps you consider passenger carrying capacity in second place. Unless you're specifically into racing side-by-side vehicles, you probably don't care that much about speed. Even if speed isn't at the top of the priority list, though, you shouldn't look down on side-by-side vehicles because they've got some muscles hidden under their hoods.

One nifty example of hidden potential comes to us from the Yamaha brand, which manufactures some of the best motorcycles ever made. Specifically, Yamaha manufactures a line of utility side-by-side vehicles called the Yamaha Viking that can go pretty fast. The Viking is a hearty, wild-taming vehicle like its namesake, and it even comes in a special variation specifically designed for ranch life. It's not all about hauling farmhands and chicken feed, though. If you really open up the Viking's 686cc engine, you can get low-level highway performance at around 50 mph of speed.

Both models of the Yamaha Viking, including the Viking EPS and Viking VI EPS, feature the same engine: a 686cc liquid-cooled SOHC four-stroke, four-valve model. It comes with a 102mm x 84mm bore and stroke, a 10:1 compression ratio, along with an Ultramatic V-belt transmission with all-wheel engine braking. It's got a fuel capacity of 9.7 gallons, delivered to the engine via the proprietary Yamaha Fuel Injection (YFI) system.

Both the Viking and Viking VI have comparable levels of performance; the only difference between them is in their physical dimensions. As the name may imply, the Viking VI is designed to haul a total of six passengers, including the driver, while the regular Viking is only built for three. As a hearty side-by-side vehicle, though, the Viking can output roughly the same amount of speed even when it's fully loaded.

With the power of that 686cc engine, the Yamaha Viking has a similar top speed as some of the front-runners in the side-by-side scene. If you put the pedal to the metal, any model of Viking can get you top speeds of around 50 to 52 mph at 50 horsepower. The engine isn't quite built to go full-throttle from the word go, but if you give it some time and a straightaway to really get up to speed, the Viking just might surprise you.

The Yamaha Viking is a bit slower than some other utility task vehicles (UTVs) on the market. Some drivers reported maxing out their Kawasaki Ridge, for example, to a top speed of 58 mph. To be fair, however, this model has a 999cc engine that produces 92 horsepower.

When comparing the Viking and one of its other chief competitors, the Polaris Ranger, the latter vehicle has a bit more going for it in the muscle department, offering a larger engine capable of producing more raw speed. Where the Viking falls short in speed, though, it makes up for in comfort and maneuverability. The Viking, and especially the Viking VI, is pleasantly roomy and comfortable to sit in, all while tackling rough terrain and steep inclines with reliable finesse. Other side-by-sides may be faster, but if the race starts going up a craggy hill, don't be surprised to see the Viking go over the top first.